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Good Will Hunting (1997)

 -  Drama  -  9 January 1998 (USA)
8.2
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Ratings: 8.2/10 from 325,490 users   Metascore: 70/100
Reviews: 581 user | 139 critic | 28 from Metacritic.com

Will Hunting, a janitor at MIT, has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.

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Title: Good Will Hunting (1997)

Good Will Hunting (1997) on IMDb 8.2/10

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Top 250 #147 | Won 2 Oscars. Another 18 wins & 37 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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John Mighton ...
Tom - Lambeau's Teaching Assistant
Rachel Majorowski ...
Colleen McCauley ...
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Ralph St. George ...
Rob Lynds ...
Dan Washington ...
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Storyline

A touching tale of a wayward young man who struggles to find his identity, living in a world where he can solve any problem, except the one brewing deep within himself, until one day he meets his soul mate who opens his mind and his heart. Written by Dima & Danielle

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

Some people can never believe in themselves, until someone believes in them. See more »

Genres:

Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language, including some sex-related dialogue | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Official Sites:

|

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

9 January 1998 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

En busca del destino  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$10,400,000 (Non-US) (6 March 1998)

Gross:

$138,339,411 (USA) (24 July 1998)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Anthony Minghella was offered the role of Henry Lipkin but was unable to take the role due to scheduling conflicts. See more »

Goofs

When Chuckie is having the conversation with Will about how he wishes one day Will wouldn't be home when he comes to pick him up, he finishes the scene with a sip of beer from a can. The can is in his right hand as he takes the sip, but in the next shot as he lowers the can from his lips, it has miraculously jumped to his left hand. See more »

Quotes

[first lines]
Lambeau: Mod fx... squared... dx. So please finish Parceval, by next time. I know many of you had this as undergraduates, but it won't hurt to brush up.
See more »

Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits, the film is dedicated to the memory of poet Allen Ginsberg and writer William S. Burroughs, both of whom died in 1997. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl (2006) See more »

Soundtracks

"People"
Written by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

 
A slow burner, a fine achievement
17 March 1999 | by (London, England) – See all my reviews

Sure, this film's plot is fairly predictable. Sure, if you boiled it down to its essential components it wouldn't amount to much. Sure, Will Hunting's genius is profoundly unrealistic.

Yet I'm giving this one 10 out of 10.

I don't know whether Matt and Ben have ever been in therapy, but they certainly understand a lot about the human psyche, how it ducks responsibility, and pushes blame onto others, how it dismisses the real gifts it has and concentrates on running itself down. How many of us suffer from the same problems as Will? Only those who deny their own vulnerability will remain unaffected by this film.

Not only is the script powerful, but the dynamics between the characters - all of them selfish, even Skylar - is vividly and plausibly executed. The film just about manages to avoid easy answers, preferring to acknowledge (indeed, highlight) the complexity and pain of personal growth and self-realisation.

You could read a lot of self-help books, but they won't bring across to you as powerfully as this film what it's like to be scared, what it's like to experience loss, how difficult it is to shake off your old ways of thinking, how important honesty to yourself is. If this is the kind of revelation Matt and Ben are going to come up with, I look forward to their future efforts.

The first time I saw it, I felt moved as the credits rolled. On my way home from the cinema, I felt sombre. When I got home, I finally burst into tears. This film burns slowly, inside you.

As cinema, it's fair to middling. The performances are all first class. The script is a jewel. As wisdom, it's second to none. A fine achievement.


202 of 226 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you?

Message Boards

Recent Posts
So this is a Harvard bar? arnomation
Loved it! But the ending was missing a key element. DylbertReviews
Will wearing a cross on his chain? asen8919
Something that bothered me about the maths in this movie Tommy_Tap_Shoes
Maybe a dumb question but .. msegmx
Its not your fault scene hmmm? jackssuprise
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